The College Football War of Player Recruiting

[Jamos]

The recruiting game/war has really reached a peak with the flip-flopping of players that seems to have most fans irritated and wondering where and how does it all end. I would include coaches into that equation but I'm not sure as to how coaches really feel about all of this.

For the fans, it seems to be a game of promises/commitments by the players that really have no merit and would remind you of a soap opera as to who's bed are they sleeping in tonight. For the coaches, I'm not sure as to how they really feel about the flip-flopping game as they will gain some and will lose some during the process. Many of us fans were raised in an era when you were judged by being a man of your word but not so much so in this era of young adults playing sports it seems. I think we can all blame the sports media and sports agents for most of what is happening now. Many of these young men are put on a pedestal and are being taught how to market themselves to the highest bidder and I'm not saying it is cash money but could be in some cases. News networks such as ESPN has skyrocketed in the past few years with all the player ratings, glamorous all star games, and most of all the National Signing Day festivities. It has become a circus for the media outlets and the players are loving it and should we really blame them for the recruiting tactics that so many of us have learned to despise. You can't leave out the so called agents that work with the high school coaches in marketing of some of their players. I think this is more prevalent in basketball than football but it is still a major tool in deciding where some of the better players end up going to school and that includes high school as well.

Is all of the marketing ploys fair to the schools and the coaches? I'm not happy with it but I'm not so sure the coaches really dislike it that much. The flip-flopping of players has really become popular in the past few years and the coaches are losing some and they are gaining some so to me it's hard to say how they might really feel about it all. Alabama, who has been so successful in the recruiting wars, has lost and gained quite a few players in the flip-flopping game over the years but yet has continued to win national championships so I don't look for Bama to complain too much about what has become the trend of the players in changing their minds.

All of this is just another chapter in the life of college football which I think is the most popular sport being played today. Alabama has been atop the college football world since the hiring of Nick Saban and there are a lot of folks that want something to change to get Alabama off the top. Bama is in the top five of recruiting every year and number one in the past few years so it is understandable where most coaches would like to level up the playing field, recruiting.

So do I think there will be some changes in the recruiting wars by the NCAA to stop the flip-flopping of players, no and if anything it may become even more chaotic. Recruiting is where it all starts in building championship teams and to get teams on a level field with Alabama, recruiting is the key to that so sit back and see where all of this goes. 



 

[2Stater]

For the fans, it seems to be a game of promises/commitments by the players that really have no merit and would remind you of a soap opera as to who's bed are they sleeping in tonight.

Boy, you hit the nail on the head with this one. Good analogy! E-cred for the post.

[BillBrosky]

Heard we had two to decommit yesterday.

Cam Akers(RB) & Jake Fromm(QB)

[2Stater]

Heard we had two to decommit yesterday.

Cam Akers(RB) & Jake Fromm(QB)

Correct. I figure it dawned on them who they had to beat out at their positions.

[Chechem]

There are waaaaaaay too many criteria affecting choice of schools to make this discussion simple.

The student might not have made grades, so Alabama backed off them.
The coaches who recruited them changed schools.
Their girlfriend is attending another school.
Their major doesn't match.
Their Mama wants cash.
........

 

[2Stater]

There are waaaaaaay too many criteria affecting choice of schools to make this discussion simple.

The student might not have made grades, so Alabama backed off them.
The coaches who recruited them changed schools.
Their girlfriend is attending another school.
Their major doesn't match.
Their Mama wants cash.
........

 

....and daddies.

[McBaman]

Well a commit is not a commit until the fax comes in on NSD.  Prior to that it's just a bunch of interesting factoids.  For me, I don't pay much attention to commits until about a month before NSD.  Just too many guys flip + coaching changes that can legit affect a guys thinking + programs getting better/worse that affect a guys thinking.  Can't predict any of this.

Look at NSD this year.  I never thought Bama would get all the uncommitted & flippers that we got.  But we did.

Then add in that these HS guys are having to make a decision far, far more important than anything they've been faced with.  They don't know how to decide. And too many of them are just immature hot dogs.

Coaches gotta know a lot of this is coming but I imagine it still drives them crazy.

[ricky023]

Well to me these kids need to be taught what the word commitment means. Schools are failing because in the English and Spelling classes these kids are not taught definitions and spelling these days that is why so many kids who are dumb play sports in order to advance.
I believe we have been taught that in the hood it is proper to kick people who are down and make fun of everybody you can manipulate rather to be taught to help each other and to be honest. Our politicians are a prime example. I guess if they are crooks then why should we teach our kids to be honest?
This world we live in today has gotten to where your WORD doesn't mean anything don't worry about it. You can tell a lie as long as it benefits you.  BTW I also gave you and e-cred for such a fine article JAMOS. Thanks for your time. Also, if this kid flipped 4 times or even 2 times and I send him in with a play where he is to give the call to QB and another guy gets to carry the ball or the spotlight, is he going to give that direct play to the QB? RTR!

[pmull]

Players committing early and changing their mind is common practice these days. I am not saying it is right but the coaches are partially, if not primarily, to blame. They start by offering scholarships to sophomore and juniors long before they ever play their first game as a senior in high school. They put a tremendous amount of pressure on the recruits during campus visits and camps to commit. Telling them things like we need your commitment this weekend or we are going to offer your scholarship to another player. Coaches do not honor commitments either. They will hold your scholarship open unless a better player becomes available. Once a player commits do other coaches honor it and discontinue recruiting the player. We all know the answer is no. Our coach, who is the most relentless recruiter in college football and we love him for it, is as bad as anyone.

The system is broke and I do not see it getting fixed anytime soon.

[2Stater]

Players committing early and changing their mind is common practice these days. I am not saying it is right but the coaches are partially, if not primarily, to blame. They start by offering scholarships to sophomore and juniors long before they ever play their first game as a senior in high school. They put a tremendous amount of pressure on the recruits during campus visits and camps to commit. Telling them things like we need your commitment this weekend or we are going to offer your scholarship to another player. Coaches do not honor commitments either. They will hold your scholarship open unless a better player becomes available. Once a player commits do other coaches honor it and discontinue recruiting the player. We all know the answer is no. Our coach, who is the most relentless recruiter in college football and we love him for it, is as bad as anyone.

The system is broke and I do not see it getting fixed anytime soon.

Coaches have had to learn how to play the game to adapt to the decommitments. Not saying that it's right, but it's become the nature of the game. Recruits get hurt by being offered grayshirts, or worse, having their offer pulled, as a result of the madness of recruiting. Coaches go after good 2 or 3 star recruits as a security measure, and back off when they get a full class of 4 and 5 star recruits. The uncertainty of it all makes for a bit of mayhem.

[Jamos]

There are waaaaaaay too many criteria affecting choice of schools to make this discussion simple.

The student might not have made grades, so Alabama backed off them.
The coaches who recruited them changed schools.
Their girlfriend is attending another school.
Their major doesn't match.
Their Mama wants cash.
........

 

You are sooooo right Chech!!!!

[BillBrosky]

Heard we had two to decommit yesterday.

Cam Akers(RB) & Jake Fromm(QB)

Correct. I figure it dawned on them who they had to beat out at their positions.

Actually Fromm was a no brainer, having been a UGA fan, and CKS was his recruiter at Bama.  This is a good get for Smart.  Kudos to him.

[KoKoPuf]

First of all, it is a non-binding commitment as it should be. A 17-18 year old kid shouldn't be expected to make a binding commitment in his junior or early senior year. The recruiters commitment isn't binding, he may move to another school at anytime. And the coaches, who have long term contracts, change schools at the drop of a hat with no penalty but a recruit is expected to honor his non-binding commitment. Further, after the recruit signs his letter of intent, he must sit out a year to change schools. Not so with coaches. Or University Presidents, Chancellors, or Athletic Directors for that matter.

[ricky023]

I still say that players use Alabama to gain media attention and to get other schools who they like to get after them quicker. A lot of these kids again if asked what is the definition of commitment they would not be able to tell you or spell the Word. I would to see how many could prove me wrong. I also believe schools should stop accepting commits from these kids till January of the year of NSD. RTR!

[McBaman]

I would like to see some restriction on how early an offer can be extended.  Maybe not until after the conclusion of their junior year in HS.  Or maybe June 1st aprx. 8 months before NSD.  That would at least cut down on the 'window' for flipping activity, and it would put some pressure on kids to really think about it before committing to a college.

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